Bringing Him Back
by navarro09
Summary: The Wizarding world has a punishment far worse than the Dementor's Kiss. How is a Dementor created in the first place? This is the story of how Hermione gives her soul to Snape in order to save him. This is how she brings him back.
1. Occupation

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. As much as I wish I did, JK Rowling (that wonderful genius) came up with it first. How? I obviously don't know, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here writing my own sad little stories, trying to pass myself off as a writer.**

**On with the story!**

Chapter 1: Occupation

The hour was late when Hermione was finally finished for the day. Working at the ministry was not where she had seen herself nearly five years after the fall of Voldemort; although she hadn't really known where she would end up for that matter. Even though she hadn't pictured herself working under the large corporation, she wouldn't really rather be anywhere else.

After the Defeat, the three of them had been offered Honorary NEWTs with the understanding that they would not be required to return to Hogwarts. Hermione knew there could never be a replacement for a real education, and so it was no question that she decided to return to school.

Harry, for a lack of where or what to do now that he had 'served his purpose' returned with her as well, and Ron simply couldn't imagine being without them. So together the golden trio, along with other various classmates including Neville, Seamus, Luna, Dean Thomas, and the Patil twins to name a few, had returned to Hogwarts to finish out their education.

Immediately after graduation, the three of them had been approached by the ministry with potential job offers. Harry and Ron of course were offered positions in the Department of Magical Offense and Protection as Aurors, which they accepted with grace and begun their training immediately.

Hermione, who had received the highest marks in Hogwarts history in many of the subjects she tested in, found herself in line for a number of elite job offers. The only subjects she did not receive top marks included Divination which she chose not to take, Defense Against the Dark Arts which Harry took of the honor of, Potions which Snape had claimed back in his days at Hogwarts, and Transfiguration at which Dumbledore still remained.

Having mastered numerous other subjects, some of the job offers she received included Head of the Department of Ancient Runes and Artifacts Research, Department of Magical History Researcher, and Head of the Licensing Department for Magical Transportation. However, the one that interested her the most was the Department of Spell History, Research, and Origin.

This job required her to break down magic to understand it at its most basic level. This included understanding theory on wand movement, spell incantation, and also mediums at which magic was released including wands, artifacts, potions, and wandless magic. Her researched included reversing accidental spells that had been unintentionally created, understanding current spells limitations and how they worked, and also in her spare time researching basic magic to create new spells.

Her job sometimes required travel to other countries to research magical methods employed there, and also warranted many trips to various libraries around the world. However, some days like today were spent at her desk in the ministry pushing paperwork, which she was very glad to be done with for the day. In fact, as she stood up and grabbed her wand as she prepared to leave, she remembered it was Friday and that she had the weekend ahead of her.

On her usual weekend Hermione would spend her time either at home in her cozy three bedroom flat which was located just outside of Hogsmede, or visit with friends which most frequently took place at the burrow. However, this weekend had been marked on her calendar all year for the annual celebration ball.

Every year since Harry had triumphed, they held an annual celebration ball in honor of all those who had fought in the war. Being a member of the golden trio made her an automatic guest of honor, and also mandated that she attend. The ball was held in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, since the castle was generally unoccupied save for the teachers during the summer. The ball was usually the regular celebration of food and dancing, however at the request of Harry a special tradition had been started.

Each attendee was to pick a name of someone that they chose to honor and write their name on a miniature paper lantern. These lanterns would then be lit and enchanted to find that person. If they were alive that lantern would drift in their direction until it found their person. If the person had died in battle or as a cause of the war, then it was believed the lantern would find their soul and remind them that they were still honored by those who lived.

The first year Harry had chosen his parents, Ron had chosen Fred, and Hermione had chosen Dumbledore. However, one stipulation to the ceremony was that each year you had to honor someone different. In this sense, Harry had said that no matter how much difficulty and hardship Voldemort had put them through, no one would even be forgotten.

Hermione stood up from her desk, ready to leave.

"Have a good evening Susan, I'll see you tomorrow at the celebration."

Susan Bones, who had taken a surprising interest in Magical Theory, worked under Hermione as one of her researchers. She mainly handled the topic of Incantation Translation and Language History.

"Goodnight Hermione. Don't forget a date for tomorrow." Susan winked as Hermione smiled uneasily back at her..

However good Hermione was at everything life seemed to through at her (save for flying), she was still single. The fact didn't bother her much, but it did cause some worry for Harry and Ron, who were both already married and had a combined total of five kids.

It was without question after the war that Harry belonged with Ginny, and they were wed soon after. She was now pregnant with their second child, and was content to follow in her mother's footsteps to have even more.

Ron, whom everyone had expected her to wind up with, unexpectedly found love in the form of Luna Lovegood. During their return year to Hogwarts, Hermione and Ron had decided that a relationship just wasn't in the cards for them, and it was best not to ruin almost an entire decade of friendship over their differences.

It wasn't that she didn't believe in marriage, she had gone on plenty of dates. She just believed in fate and that love wasn't something you had to hunt down. Love was something that shouldn't be a question. Love was something that would find you, and when it did it would knock her off her feet.

Hermione made her way past the fountain out of the ministry, and over to the network of Floos. With the thought on her mind that she still had to pick a name for her lantern before tomorrow night, she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder, threw it into the grate, and disappeared with a whirl of soot, the last sound of her voice drowned out as the flames spun around her to send her home.

**Please review and let me know what you think. Hope my writing hasn't gotten too rusty...**


	2. Picking A Name

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. As much as I wish I did, JK Rowling (that wonderful genius) came up with it first. How? I obviously don't know, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here writing my own sad little stories, trying to pass myself off as a writer.**

**On with the story!**

Chapter 2: Picking A Name

Hermione awoke the next morning to a tickling sensation on her nose. Eyes closed, she smiled as she felt the hefty weight of Crookshanks lying on top of her, whiskers brushing past her face as he turned his.

"Good morning Crooks, about time we got up eh?"

Hermione sat up as Crookshanks darted off of her and out the door to what she presumed would be the kitchen. She always gave him a little morning treat to try and put him in a good mood as well as herself. She swung her legs over the bed and stretched, enjoying the feeling of the sun creeping through the window. She loved to sleep in on the weekends, and enjoy a later breakfast with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Throwing on a robe on over her night shirt, she padded into the kitchen to find Crookshanks waiting diligently by his bowl.

She laughed as she reached into the cupboard and pulled out a can of wet cat food. She dumped it into his bowl, and then went to set the tea. Sitting at the kitchen table, she found that the Prophet had already been dropped off for her, and she tucked her knees up to read while the water heated. Of course the front page was all about that evening's events, which again reminded her that she had to pick someone to honor that year.

Dumbledore was her first year of course, and the second she had chosen both Harry and Ron. The third year was Neville, and the fourth went to Tonks. Running through her classmates in her head, she realized that she could pick someone who she didn't go to school with. Perhaps she could pick a professor! She had chosen Dumbledore before, who was indeed a professor but was also Headmaster in their time.

Running through her list of professors, she recalled that most of them were still at Hogwarts. McGonagall was the current headmistress, Binns was still teaching history, Hooch and Madame Pomfrey were still there of course, Trelawney (Hermione shuddered), Hagrid, Sprout, Snape…

Wait, was Snape still there?

Come to think of it, she hadn't heard any word from or about Snape in a long time. Blushing, she remembered the last time she had seen him she had still harbored a school girl crush. According to the girls Gryffindor dormitory gossip, Snape had been the object of more than one teenage girl fantasy back in those days. She shook her head as she recalled his voice, her stomach beginning to tingle pleasantly as the memory of the last time she had seen him washed over her.

"…_Miss Granger, what might you be doing in the dungeons at this late an hour?"_

_He stood more than a half a foot taller than her, his imposing dark figure towering over her as she had rounded a corner and ran into him in surprise._

"_I'm sorry Professor, I couldn't sleep."_

_Tomorrow was graduation, and she was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she would leave this castle forever tomorrow. It was well past midnight, and she had spent the last two hours tossing and turning, only to slip out of bed in hopes that a quick stroll might give her a chance to organize her thoughts. Being close to summer, it was sweltering up in Gryffindor tower, and as she had her own rooms as Head Girl, she chose to sleep in only her underwear to try and escape some of the heat. Feeling quite foolish now that all she had chosen to throw on was a simple silk robe, she hoped that he wouldn't notice her current state of dress._

_He quirked an eyebrow as he stepped towards her, effectively pinning her against the cold stone wall._

"_No matter the circumstances of tomorrow's events, you are still a student here Miss Granger, and would do well to behave accordingly."_

"_H-hermione."_

_He blinked at her, and seemed taken aback. _

"_When I graduate tomorrow, perhaps you will see me as a colleague and think of me in context of my first name." She released a breath she had been holding, hoping that he wouldn't throw the idea back in her face._

"_Hermione…" he murmured as if he had never thought of her that way before._

"_Yes, and perhaps I could reciprocate the custom as well…Severus."_

_His eyes snapped back to hers as she spoke his name aloud, and she seemed to melt under his gaze. She held her breath as he leaned in closer, his cloak surrounding her as she dared to voice her next thought._

"_I will be considered an adult in the wizarding world, capable of many things." _

_His lips twitched, almost as if to smile. _

"_Always the need to display your insufferable intelligence, do you wish me to treat you as an adult?" _

_He nearly closed the gap between them, she could feel the heat emanating off of his body in the cold confines of the dungeon hallway. He raised a hand, and she nearly flinched, unsure of what he intended to do. He faltered, and then continued the movement to tuck a strand of hair that she was unaware had come loose behind her ear, his hand cupping her face and turning her full gaze onto his. _

_His touch vanished as he withdrew his hand, only to trail his fingers down the side of her body, the thin robe doing little to hide the fact that her nipples were fully erect, her entire body tingling with the anticipation of his touch. _

_His fingers came to rest at her hip, and she could feel her knickers beginning to dampen. Her eyelids fluttered close as he drew even nearer to her, his solid form barely touching hers, grazing her nipples through the thin cloth of her robe. _

_She opened her eyes to see his face mere inches away, his lips dangerously close to her own. She licked her lips in anticipation, unaware that she was holding her breath. _

_His eyes flickered downward, and she blushed as she realized that he must've noticed the twins peaks stiff at the swell of her chest. He smirked, and pulled away from her._

"_Then I must encourage you to be on your way Miss Granger. Heed the responsibilities of your adulthood, and remember to keep your place."_

_She let out her breath in a quiet rush, mouth slightly agape as he turned on his heel sharply to leave._

"_Good night Severus."_

_Glancing back with a simple turn of the head, he murmured, "Good night Hermione."_

The sharp whistle of the tea kettle brought her back to the present, and she hurriedly moved towards the stove to take it off the heat. Smiling, she rushed back to her bedroom, and opened her closet. Sitting on top of the dresser next to the earrings she planned to wear that night sat her miniature lantern.

Grabbing it, she went to her desk to find her quill. Dipping it into the inkwell, she wrote the name out in her clear cursive writing. Setting it back down on the counter as so not to forget it, she walked back towards the kitchen with a smile on her face to continue on with breakfast.

Shining brightly against the cream colored paper of the lantern in ink that had yet to dry was the neatly written name of _Severus Snape._

**Please review. They make me smile. **


	3. Late For The Ball

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. As much as I wish I did, JK Rowling (that wonderful genius) came up with it first. How? I obviously don't know, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here writing my own sad little stories, trying to pass myself off as a writer.**

**On with the story!**

Chapter 3: Late For The Ball

Hermione arrived what seemed not a moment too late. Apparating on to the grounds of Hogwarts, she quickly smoothed out the skirt of her floor length ball gown, and began walking brusquely towards the castle in the distance.

She had chosen a navy blue number for that evening, which had a sweet heart neckline, and also accentuated her stunning hour glass figure. Her hair cascaded down her back in loose curls, held steady by Madame Sleakeazy's for what Hermione could only hope would last through the night. Around her neck hung a stunning white diamond pendant, a gift from Harry from her last birthday, along with diamond studs at her ears from her parents to match.

Gathering her skirt so as not to dust the ground with it, she made her way across the stone bridge that led to the entrance. Knowing that she was the last guest to arrive, she doubled her pace as she stepped through the great stone archway, her heels clicking in sync with the music drifting distantly through the hallway. Stepping into the Great Hall was breathtaking, as it seemed to be every year.

The Hall was completely transformed, midnight black sheets of satin hanging from the walls. Adorning the cloth were miniature crystals, which sparkled and seemed to resemble the night sky as it reflected the candlelight from the nearly one thousand candles flickering throughout the room. The satin disconnected from the wall at ceiling point to converge towards the center of the room to meet an enormous chandelier. The room was lined with tables on either side, leaving the middle of the hall open for dancing.

The tables gleamed with silver plates and goblets, just waiting to be filled by the word from the kitchen house elves. Twisted glass vases dusted with silver sat in the center of each table, filled halfway with water and supporting floating candles. The head table was the most spectacular of all, draped with alternating silver and black satin, accentuated by waves of the crystal adorned background. Hermione saw Harry and Ron, frantically searching the room for her at the head table, spotting her as she rushed through the doorway.

Blushing, she tried to discreetly as possible make her way up towards the front of the room to take the last seat next to Harry. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the pair of boys next to her and mouthed 'sorry'. Harry, smiling uneasily as he stood up, cleared his throat and began to speak.

"I would like to thank you all for attending this evening. This year marks yet again a time to remember for all, and the privilege I have to stand before you all tonight is a constant reminder to what those we've lost have given us…"

Hermione, who was trying to quietly catch her breath, allowed her mind to wander as Harry worked his way through his annual speech. Blushing faintly, she recalled precisely why she had been late.

_Soaking in the tub, Hermione allowed her body to relax. The ball wasn't for another two hours, and some relaxation before tonight's festivities was sure to do her some good. It was her weekend off after all. _

_Sighing, she leaned back and closed her eyes, allowing the heat of the water to seep into her to relax her muscles and heighten her senses. _

_As she lay amidst the bubbles, her mind was drawn back to the name she has chosen for her lantern. Where was Snape now? What had become of the hardened war hero after five long years? Did he still have the ability to silence a room with a whisper of his voice? Or was it a different reason the mere idea of his voice took Hermione's breath away…_

_Not ever having seen him without the layers of robes he donned every day, Hermione imagined him laid out behind her. Her breath hitched as his fingers trailed along her shoulder, his hot breath tickling her ear and making her shudder. His other hand seemed to snake its way around her torso, brushing the underside of her breast. Mimicking her impromptu fantasy, Hermione brought her fingers up to gently circle her nipple, bringing it to attention. _

_She could feel his erection pressing into the curve of her lower back, making her wonder how well endowed the real Snape happened to be. Following the slope of her shoulder, his other hand made its way down to join the it's partner in teasing her other nipple, pinching it gently and causing Hermione to release a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding. _

_Continuing to trail his way down her stomach, his hand met at the apex of her thighs, gently toying with smooth outline of her lips. Delving one finger into her folds, he brushed against her clit, causing Hermione to whimper with need. Feeling his chest rumble behind her with a low chuckle, he continued forward, ghosting over her clit in circles. _

_Hermione instinctively spread her legs further, allowing him greater access. Taking the invitation, he gently pinched her clit, causing Hermione to cry out. He continued to roll it gently between his thumb and index finger, bringing her close to the edge. _

_Hermione could feel it building up inside her, feeling her breath rise with every tremor of pleasure that washed through her. His other hand continued to tweak her nipple, sending little electric shocks of pleasure that seemed directly connected with her clit. _

"_Please…Severus…" she whimpered, having a deep desire for more, but not knowing quite exactly what she wanted. His hand roughly grabbed her breast, squeezing it firmly before it too trailed down her stomach. _

_His thumb and index suddenly left her clit, causing her to groan with frustration until he unexpectedly thrust two fingers up into her tight, wet heat. Her groan quickly transitioned into a moan as she leaned her head back against his chest, eyes closed and mouth slightly parted open. _

_As he began to pump his fingers in and out, his other hand continued to trail downward to firmly rub her swollen clit, causing her to arch her back. She was so close; she could feel the heat spreading throughout her body to the very edge of her finger tips and toes…_

"_Hermione," he murmured, "come for me."_

_Hearing his voice, deep, ragged, and raw, drew her over the edge. It was like a waterfall crashing down, a release of breath she had built up as a strangled cry. Her back arched, her toes curling as he drew out her pleasure. Finally slumping back against him, she smiled lazily as she open her eyes…to find herself quite alone._

_Glancing at the clock, she realized she had been in the bath for nearly an hour…_

"…once again, it is with honor that we are allowed to stand here today to remember all those who fought for our freedom. Let us remind ourselves of that privilege, and honor all, including those who stand among us today, of what are grateful for. Thank you."

Hermione snapped out of her reverie, clapping automatically with everyone else in the room. Turning her attention to her plate, she shuddered as she forced the thought of his voice and touch out of her mind. She smiled as the food appeared before her and she began to settle in.

**As always, reviews are welcome. **


	4. Contemno per animus diffido

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. As much as I wish I did, JK Rowling (that wonderful genius) came up with it first. How? I obviously don't know, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here writing my own sad little stories, trying to pass myself off as a writer.**

**On with the story!**

Chapter 4: Contemno per animus diffido

Breathless, Hermione took a seat at one of the many tables spread throughout the Great Hall. After being bombarded with questions from both Harry and Ron about the reason for her tardiness, they had settled into their meal until they were fit to bursting. After wandering around the room to converse with the other attendees, they had taken to the dance floor.

Having danced for nearly the last forty five minutes, Hermione was quite ready to take a break. Besides, it was nearly dark, and they were almost ready to go out to the grounds and release the lanterns.

Ron and Luna appeared next to Hermione, offering her some punch, which she gratefully accepted.

Sipping the cool tangy liquid, Hermione turned towards Ron, "So where are the kids tonight?"

Grinning he replied, "Oh you know, Mum never turns down a chance to see them, even though heavens bless her they're a handful. She said it would be more work to get all dressed up and come to the ball than to watch them, although Merlin knows how she can handle the lot."

Hermione laughed, remembering with ease the rambunctiousness of his and Luna's four children. It seems fate had tested them by giving them twin boys the first go around, which they had aptly named Fred and George. Then the two little red headed girls followed, which they had named Molly and Leonora, after their mothers.

As they drifted into easy conversation of their home life, Hermione was once again reminded of the fact that she was still alone. Feeling uneasy but not wanting to dampen the couple's good spirits, Hermione stood and announced that she was going outside to 'get some air.'

Hermione wound her way through the crowd, exiting through the giant wooden doors of the Great Hall and following the hallway down to the courtyard. This is where they would release the lanterns, allowing them to float off into the distance; or to mill around and find the person if they were indeed in the courtyard among others.

The sun had long since set and by the light of the moon Hermione made her way to a stone bench and sat. Allowing her thoughts to wander, she stared up at the night sky as she wondered where her soul mate might be. It was a silly notion, but Hermione firmly believed that everyone had that one other person that they were meant to be with. That didn't mean you couldn't experience other love along the way, but when you found that one person it should be magical. Finding your soul mate should be like living in black and white and then seeing in color for the first time. It should be like taking a breath of air after being under water.

Lost in her thoughts, it wasn't long before people began to mill out of the castle and into the courtyard. Seeing that people were beginning to pull their lanterns out, Hermione reached into her clutch and grabbed hers. She had shrunk it to fit within her tiny clutch and now, bringing it out along with her wand, she charmed it back to normal size.

Soon, nearly everyone had made their way out into the courtyard, Ron and Harry included. They made their way over towards her, lanterns in hand.

Grinning, Harry asked, "Ready mates?"

Hermione smiled as those around them began to cast the spell that would enchant their lantern. Murmuring the words around her, Harry's and Ron's began to glow as well. It was a magnificent sight, as the hundreds of lanterns began to float amongst them or off into the distance. Smiling with the hopes that Snape would receive his in well wishes Hermione grasped her wand, drew a clear picture of Snape in her mind, and waved it over her lantern.

"_Lumos per anima."_

Unexpectedly, her lantern remained unlit. Frowning, Hermione repeated the spell.

Turning towards Harry and slightly embarrassed, Hermione muttered, "Mine's not working. What do you suppose is wrong with it?"

Harry picked up it up, a quizzical look on his face. Harry examined the lantern, turning it so he could see the name written upon it and turned white as a sheet.

"Um, H-hermione. I think we'd better go inside."

Ron, noticing the commotion between the two, turned around and grabbed her lantern.

"Why's yours not lighting 'Mione? You of all people should have no problems with a simple spell like this one."

Harry, sensing danger tried to grab the lantern back, but not before Ron caught a glimpse of the name.

"Blimey Hermione, didn't you hear? Snape was convicted!"

By now, people around them were starting to notice the commotion.

Confused, Hermione replied, "He was what?"

"Yeah, he was brought before the Wizengamont last month and tried before a full counsel! They convicted him of being guilty of committing crimes in the name of You-Know-Who. They gave him Veritiserum, forcing him to list his crimes in front of the court. They sentenced him before he was even finished!"

Hermione gasped, "But didn't they know he was a double spy? Didn't they know he changed sides not even two years after signing his life to Voldemort?"

"Apparently that didn't matter. They decided to try him nearly to the level of You-Know-Who himself."

"But that still doesn't explain why it won't light. Even if he was convicted and sent to Azkaban, his soul still has a trace on this earth. His magical imprint still exists."

"Hermione," Harry said hurriedly, "I think we should continue this discussion inside."

Ron, ignoring Harry's comment, continued on. "It was all over the papers what he did. He's in Azkaban alright, but not as a prisoner so to speak."

By now, the whole courtyard was silent, those who knew standing with unease, and those who were unaware waiting with bated breath. You could have heard a pin drop save for the voices of the trio.

Angrily, Hermione argued, "Even if he was convicted and sentenced to death, these lanterns are charmed to find them even in the afterlife. That doesn't explain why mine won't light."

"Hermione, they didn't sentence him to death or life in Azkaban."

"Well what was his sentence then? The Dementor's Kiss?"

"Hermione, they sentenced him to _the Contemno per animus diffido_. They condemned his soul."

At this point, Hermione turned to Harry. "What does that mean? What exactly does that sentence entail?"

Swallowing, Harry said in a low voice, "Hermione, they didn't give his soul to a Dementor. They turned him into one."

**Hee-hee, cliffhanger! The last line of this chapter is what started this lovely little plot bunny. Currently working on the next chapter, but with the Holidays and what-not, it's a little busy. I will try to update as soon as the Holidays will allow. Cheers everyone.**

**As always, reviews are welcome. **


	5. Mind, Body, and Soul

**I toyed with the idea of forever giving up this story; I had just hit such a writer's block with this one! The scene that started the whole idea for this fic was that of the last chapter; where Harry actually tells Hermione she Snape wasn't given the Dementor's Kiss, but turned into one instead. **

**I tossed and turned with the idea, finally coming close to actually deleted it, but then all of a sudden I was flooded with a ton of ideas! Once I got one, another and another kept coming until I finally thought that it may be possible to finish this story. **

**Fingers crossed, let's hope this creative outburst continues. :)**

**Now, on with the story!**

* * *

><p>Hermione couldn't think. She sat numbly upon her bed; navy blue attire askew and tendrils of loose curls framing her face. She couldn't wrap her head around the news she had received that night. Every time her brain came close to bridging the subject, she felt the annoyingly familiar and anxiously tight pinpricks at the corners of her eyes representing the tears that threatened to fall.<p>

Swallowing dryly, she struggled to maintain control as she reviewed the situation. After Harry had informed her of exactly what Snape's sentenced had entailed, she demanded more of an explanation and had dragged the pair inside for further inquiry.

However, that was nearly the extent of all they knew; in fact it was just about all anybody knew about the situation. Harry had mentioned that there was a small article in the Daily Prophet a few weeks back dictating what had transpired in the courtroom before the Wizengamont, what his sentence was, and nothing more.

Snape was gone. Not solely in the sense that he had died, or perhaps reclusively gone into hiding, but that he no longer existed on any plane of being.

She felt her skin prickle at the thought. _How could you no longer have an identity?_

She knew that those whose fate was to be administered the Dementor's Kiss still existed on some plane; there were many myths and legends about what happened to those people, and their souls in particular. But Snape…simply ceased to exist. No after life. No fate to be resigned to. What he was now would never resemble what he once was. There was no more Severs Snape.

The tears that had threatened to spill finally came, and she slumped in defeat as the twins trails of salty wetness paved the way down her face. She sniffled, overcome with thoughts that she couldn't bear to think. Severus Snape, a man who had lived a life of servitude by bravely walking the line that had divided the fate of the Wizarding world had been punished simply because he was forced to toe both sides in order to commit victory to one in the end.

Not bothering to wipe the tears away, she slowly pulled off her thin silver heels, casting them beside her bed. She moved without reason or purpose as she mechanically peeled off her dress, not caring that the tears began to flow even more freely. She pulled on her sleeper shorts and t-shirt, and reached around to unclasp the chain that held her diamond pendent. She set it upon her dresser next to her wand, and got into bed. The mattress gave slightly as she sat, defeated. So many different emotions during the course of one day, it was completely exhausting.

She sat there and cried, letting her tears fall onto the bedspread. She continued like that for quite some time until she felt that there were no more tears left to give. To her surprise, some slight relief did find her as her distress finally gave way to a feeling that she was well accustomed to; curiosity.

What exactly was ones' soul? During the course of her studies, she had come upon many different theories; particularly in Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies. Many science based theories said that a soul was the spontaneous energy a human body contained, the energy that started a beating heart. Others said it was the plasmic-like substance that ghosts seemed to be composed of; however she had never read upon any scientific proof that this substance was actually found within a human body.

Religious views most often stated that your soul was the consciousness of your being that went to either figure of afterlife, particularly heaven or hell. A moral and emotional nature or perhaps one's sense of identity was what defined a person's everlasting being. What defined an identity?

Whether it was human or non-human, spiritual or substantial; was there any hint or trace at all of the man that once was?

And what exactly happened to you if you didn't die? Could you be brought back to life? Suddenly, the feeling of despair vanished completely, only to be replaced by the burning need to sate her hopeful curiosity.

With the small seed of smoldering hope, she lay back against the pillows and closed her red rimmed, puffy eyes. However, behind closed lids in her mind's eye the only thing she could see was the heartbreaking figure of Severus Snape; helpless and forever alone.

Hermione wasted no time the next day even though it was Sunday, her day off. She made a hasty trip to the Ministry to access the personal library it housed. However much knowledge the Hogwarts library contained, it was nowhere near as much as this. It was about as comparable as the library on high-dose steroids with an unlimited restricted section.

Exiting the floo system, she felt a sense of unease at the lack of activity within the Ministry. It seemed that everyone who was in a research or clerical department was gone, but that was only to be expected. After all, _she_ was never here on weekends. Walking across the flagstone, she passed the occasional lone witch or wizard, many whom she didn't recognized. She assumed that they worked in departments that could never really close, such as the Auror or Accidental Magic Reversal departments.

She took the elevator down to the basement, almost nearly to the very bottom floor. Exiting the lift, she approached a large security door. Next to the door was a lone pedestal upon which sat a short, slotted, wooden bookshelf.

She could feel the buzz of magic from the numerous levels of security enchantments placed upon the entrance. Although one wouldn't think a library as anything that needed high security, there was a lifetime's worth of dangerous information inside. Books on dark magic were not restricted, and indeed plentiful upon the shelves. Access to the wrong person could spell disaster.

She whipped her wand out of her sleeve and performed an intricate pattern while simultaneously opening her flow of magic to allow her identity to be recognized. Although the door opened, she could still feel the familiar unseen force pushing against her, not allowing her access until she completed the final step.

She reached over and placed her wand into one the wooden slots, barely fazed by the shimmer of magic as the shelf bound her identity to that particular wand.

When she had first started working here she was intimidated by the seemingly extreme magical measures taken upon the place. It also didn't help that there was one eerily unclaimed wand sitting in the fourth slot that no one ever seemed to address, and quite frankly she had been too scared back then to inquire about it. However now the process was as familiar as taking the floo system, which she did multiple times on a daily basis.

These security measures aimed to prevent the use of magic within the library. Those who worked towards the safekeeping the knowledge within wanted to prevent any magical transportation or reproduction or the content inside. However, it was also stressed that while wandless magic was still possible, the activity inside was monitored and any breach of security could result in immediate termination and possibly criminal charges.

After Hermione had deposited her wand, she stepped through the haze of enchantments into the vast library. It was a large difference from the exterior, which consisted of the cold, green flagstone and large security door. She passed underneath the arch that was the entryway, and entered into a library set up not un-like Hogwarts. It tastefully decorated, with a sitting place to the right with a set of antique wooden desks placed for research.

There were also some wing-backed chairs seated in front of a roaring fire place, and a couple of oversized couches. The flooring and walls were a milk-chocolate paneled wood, with burgundy and cream colored furnishings. The chairs and couches were upholstered similarly, with gold threading and tassels on the end, with wooden clawed feet to finish. There were antique red rugs situated in the seating/study area here and there.

There were lamps for soft lighting upon the desks, with four comfortable chairs surrounding each of them. All in all, it was reminiscent to a cross between the Hogwarts Gryffindor common room and the library. Beyond this seating area were rows upon rows of bookshelves, going past and around the room. The room eventually curved off, the shelves following suit. However, it was essentially one long hallway of a room, not one that a person could really get lost in.

Hermione had not brought a bag with her; she really did not have a need for any materials. It was forbidden by the ministry to copy or take notes upon any of the materials within the library; however books and tomes could be checked out. The process to do so was lengthy however, and since this wasn't really a work endeavor that she didn't wish to broadcast, she decided that any information would simply have to be taken away only in her mind.

She set to work walking down the aisle of carefully organized books. She walked down the rows, scanning the subjects as she went. She passed by a variety of topics such as Time Travel, Xylomancy, Earth Magic, and Apparition. Finally, she came upon a row labeled _Body/Soul/Spirits_, and turned down that aisle.

She scanned the titles, finally resigning to grabbing a few different books. She continued on down the aisle between the bookshelves, scanning the other rows. She came to a row labeled _Magical Creatures_ and ventured down there to eventually find and grab a book entitled _Dark Creatures: Mystical and Magical_.

Before she had left her flat, she attempted to narrow down just exactly what it was she was looking for. She came up with a list of questions that she had wanted to answer. The questions she had she had written down upon a small slip of paper, which she now pulled out of her pocket. She glanced over the short list.

_What is a soul?_

_Where does it go after death?_

_What is a Dementor?_

_How are they created? _

She decided that she had enough to at least get started, if not possibly answer all of her questions, so she brought the lot back the study area and proceeded to do what she did best; research. She set her collection down upon one of the antique desks, separating and sorting them by subject. She decided to start in order of answering her questions, and grabbed the first text.

She poured over the tome, thankful that they were magically enchanted against dust. The book she started with was entitled _Nature of the Human Soul_.

Looking for, in particular, the substance of a soul she read quickly through chapters and eventually came upon one passage that she deemed the most useful thus far.

"…_while there are many theories as to what a soul actually consists of, it is widely believed that a soul contains the energy that a human has within; particularly the energy that is first created along with the human being in the first few moments of life. This spontaneous burst and creation of energy is part of the soul; the other part is identity, or what one sees as memories. _

_This is consistent with the idea of the plasmic-like material that ghosts are created of, however this theory has never been tested…"_

Hermione made a mental note that she would have to go to Hogwarts and test out this bit of theory. It would be easy to question one of the resident ghosts; perhaps Nearly Headless Nick would be willing to participate in her little experiment.

She checked that information away in her mind, and after a fair bit of further research decided that was about as close as she was going to get. She then moved onto a book entitled _Journey of the Soul_, and while the book contained many theories, there was nothing really substantial she could use other than, again, the existence of ghosts.

Otherwise, the book contained theories on everything from reincarnation, heaven and hell, to the Greek mythology of The River Styx. There was also the idea of purgatory or limbo, the various layers and levels of Jannet and Jahannam, and the idea of temporary respite in The Summerland.

Hermione had learned about many of these already in classes such as Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies, but she didn't really deem any of the this information useful since none of it had actually been proven. She supposed to could add this to the list of questions that she would ask Nearly Headless Nick.

Lastly, she grabbed the book entitled _Dark Creatures: Mystical and Magical__._ Looking at the Index, she was right away able to spot a whole chapter on Dementors.

She quickly flipped to that section; however it largely consisted of pictures. There were sections of text, but they were on things that she was already familiar with such as their ability to suck 'happiness' out of the atmosphere.

Suddenly, she was struck with an idea. What was 'happiness' but the ability to think happy thoughts? And weren't happy thoughts the strongest? Weren't they in fact what Patronuses consisted of? It seemed that memories and energy were the most prominently emerging themes thus far.

She continued reading, and finally she came upon something useful in the last section of the chapter labeled 'Creation'.

"_...many are not aware Dementors are in fact created, not born. The process is difficult, subject to error, and requires a great deal of skill. _

_A Dementor is, in essence, a decomposed human body with the animation of a human. However, there is no personality to a Dementor other than the immeasurable need to contain 'happiness', or the positive memories of others. In extreme cases, they will even take the souls of other human beings in an attempt to satisfy this immeasurable need through a process which is commonly known as Soul Sucking, or The Dementor's Kiss. _

_A Dementor is created by using this process. However, while the subject is in the state of implementation of The Dementor's Kiss, the Soul is intercepted through a by standing Wizard who then completes an intricate series of spells. These spells are found in further detail in Chapter 14."_

Hermione set the book down, letting out a big sigh. So far, she had acquired quite a bit of information, many of it pertaining to what she was looking for. However, nothing here that she had found today proved that what she was researching _wasn't_ possible. She had one more stop to make before she was satisfied.

As she packed up she was overcome with a strange feeling. She realized that she wasn't afraid of finding out that whatever she was searching for wasn't possible; she was afraid of what she might do with the information if she found out it was.

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><p><strong>Please, please, please review! Let me know what you think, if there are any gaps missing in the story yet or if I've gotten something wrong! I really appreciate it!<strong>


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